The Best Hotels and Resorts in Puerto Rico

18 hole golf course,  nature trails, butler service

The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort is located on 483 acres in Luquillo about 40 minutes from San Juan. Located between the El Yunque Rainforest and the Espíritu State Preserve, the resort is a natural paradise with 65% of the property being preserved for hiking trails and sanctuaries.  The landscaping at the resort is impressive - towering palm trees line the hotel’s entrance that leads to the lobby and the property is the home of an Audubon-certified forest. 

The accommodations are cream-colored and luxe with a bit of island influence with the aquamarine sitting chairs. Guests will appreciate the marble floors and whitewashed vaulted ceilings with exposed beams. There are only 139 guestrooms and suites and each one comes with a private terrace with a garden, golf course, or ocean views. A standard room is just under 700 ft and the resort also offers a five-bedroom residence that can accommodate large groups.

The resort’s concierge can arrange kayaking, biking, and hiking excursions, and the Iridium Spa offers custom massage services. After a long day of activities, settle down to eat at Paros, which offers up Greek and Mediterranean dishes with spectacular views of the Rio Grande. Though resort is at the top end of the scale, former guests rave about the customer service and the excellent food.

Oceanfront spa, playground, babysitting services

Built in 1949, Caribe Hilton was one of the first luxury hotels in San Juan. The hotel’s beachfront location and proximity to San Juan’s most popular attractions make the resort an attractive choice for families who want to relax at the beach and explore historic Old San Juan. 

Inside, there are 652 recently renovated rooms, and the guestrooms have soft teal walls and sand-colored headboards that reflect the sand and ocean just steps outside. Many of the rooms have unobstructed views of the ocean, and select guest rooms have private balconies and kitchenettes. When it’s time to eat, head to one of the ten restaurants and lounges like Lola’s Puerto Rican Cuisine or Morton’s The Steakhouse. 

The resort is nestled on a 17-acre peninsula, and families will love taking long afternoon walks through the resort’s garden where they can spot peacocks, turtles, and ducks.  There’s also a daily activity calendar with lots of activities for the whole family like outdoor yoga and aqua aerobics. There’s several  pools on the property including an infinity pool, a kids fountain pool, and two whirlpools. The hotel also offers the ultimate in relaxation for adults at the 8,500 sq ft Zen Spa Océano with hydrotherapy,  sauna and steam rooms.

Onsite golf course, 24-hour in-room dining , water park and lazy river

With only 114 guest room rooms, the Dorado Beach, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve resort feels intimate, and there’s impeccable attention to detail throughout the property. The guestrooms at this luxe beachfront hideaway all come with outdoor living spaces and select rooms have private plunge pools. Standard guest rooms start at just under 1,000 sq feet, and there are also one and two-bedroom suites and a private two-story, five-bedroom villa available. 

The dining options are exceptional too; the resort’s signature restaurant, COA, has the largest wine cellar in Puerto Rico with over 690 labels of wine. The oceanfront restaurant has a carefully curated menu and sources ingredients from local farmers. Other dining options include a poolside restaurant, Encanto Beach Club and Grill, and the newly opened Posi + Ivo Sand Bar, an Asian Latin American fusion restaurant. 

While you may not want to leave your room during your stay, the 50-acre resort offers lots of recreational sports and ways to relax. At Spa Botanical, guests can get massages, facials, and body treatments, and the pool area has an aquatic playground with slides and a lazy river. Along with the onsite golf course, the resort also offers watersports kitesurfing, sailing, and paddleboarding through their partnership with GoodWinds watersports. The resort is located about 25 miles away from San Juan, which is close enough for day trips to explore the capital.

In-room dining, live music at Chico Cabaret, on-site casino

If you’re looking to totally unwind, the Fairmont El San Juan Hotel is an ideal place to do just that. The property opened in 1958 and the Palm Court Lobby has several spectacular features like dark mahogany wood arches, Carrera marble floors, and a 7,000 piece chandelier. The standard guest rooms start at just over 400 sq feet and have plush carpeting, soothing gray walls, and a comfortable sitting area. The one and two-bedroom suites have a parlor with a dining room, and the newly updated one-story Banyan villas have private balconies that overlook the resort’s sparkling pool and manicured gardens. 

The resort’s award-winning Well & Being Spa is well worth the trip. Guests can enjoy body treatments and facials, and massages can be enjoyed in the spa or outside in one of the hotel’s luxe cabanas. The new, multi-level fitness center has tons of high and low-impact fitness classes like  FloatFIT, a water workout class, and Wall Yoga, a practice that invites guests to stretch upside down. Guests can also relax with classes like the Beach Power Vinyasa Yoga and Sound Therapy Moonlight Meditation.  

The resort also has several indoor and outdoor dining options that spotlight Puerto Rico’s cuisine. Riva and Meat Market are the resort’s upscale dining options: Riva has a five-course tasting menu and Meat Market has a delicious raw bar and tender cuts of steak. For more casual dining, there’s Caña by Juliana Gonzalez and the poolside Banyan Tree Grill.

Two championship golf courses, complimentary trolley service on the resort, adults-only pool 

For couples looking for a romantic getaway, the Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico is a quiet enclave with lots of activities both onsite and nearby. Book a relaxing couples massage in the resort’s 11,000 sq foot Rainforest Spa or lounge by one of the resort's three pools or on the secluded beach. Along with two golf courses, there’s also a virtual TopGulf room for couples to practice their swing. The resort is also  less than 15 miles away from El Yunque National Forest, which provides a day of hikes and chasing waterfalls. 

There are five restaurants and three bars to choose from. Dine at Nori, an Asian fusion restaurant, grab breakfast from the buffet at the Caribbean restaurant, Water’s Edge, or listen to live music at the Lobby Bar while sipping on cocktails like the “Old Timer” made with aged rum and locally harvested honey. 

Retreat to one of the 579 rooms  that boast white linens and cream colored sofas. Other details include dark wood furniture and gold accented mirrors and lighting, and the upgraded one-bedroom suites come with private plunge pools and an outdoor dining area.  The resort also has a special Romance package that includes breakfast for two, a bottle of champagne, and chocolate-covered strawberries.

Golf course, hiking trails, library

Royal Isabela is located about an hour and a half outside of San Juan on 500 acres that overlook the Atlantic Ocean. The resort is committed to sustainability, and  the property’s main restaurant, Jota, has a farm-to-table philosophy and sources vegetables, fruits, and herbs from the resort’s own organic farm. Other menu ingredients come from local fishermen and cheesemakers and small family farms. In addition, the plants in the hotel’s landscaping are from the resort’s nursery, and the property uses recycled rainwater for irrigation. 

Each of the freestanding private villas or casitas comes with its own plunge pool and terrace with dramatic cliff views. The casitas have a traditional island style with dark hardwood floors and soaring ceilings with exposed beams. There are only twenty casitas on the property, and each one measures over 1,500 sq feet with indoor and outdoor living space. 

When you're not soaking in your private plunge pool or enjoying one the hotel’s two pools, you can take advantage of the resort’s other activities like golfing, kitesurfing, or nearby deep-sea fishing and horseback riding excursions. The hotel’s golf course is perched 200 feet above the ocean and is full of natural birds, butterflies, and plants native to the area. Guests can also learn some new skills with by booking cooking classes with the chef or or cheese-making class with a local artisan.

Heated jacuzzi, 24-hour guests services, rooftop plunge pool

Travelers are drawn to Old San Juan’s restaurants, bars, and historic attractions, and a stay at Hotel El Convento puts you in the heart of everything. The former convent was built in 1646 and is also the oldest hotel in the Historic Hotels of America. The property is ideal for those who want to be within walking distance of Puerto Rico’s most famous bars like La Factoria and Barrachina and a few minutes from the fortress, Castillo San Felipe del Morro. 

The hotel’s yellow exterior matches Old San Juan’s other colorful colonial buildings and inside the guest rooms have hand-carved furniture, marble bathrooms, and cool Andulisan tile floors. Standard rooms are on the smaller side, starting at 280 sq feet, which is to be expected for a 400-year-old hotel. Some of the suites have Juliet balconies that look out onto the cobblestone streets on Old San Juan or the San Juan Bay. 

Though the hotel isn’t beachfront, guests do have access to the beach through the hotel’s  partnership with the hotel’s beachfront sister properties  The hotel has a convenient courtyard restaurant, Santísmo Restaurant, that specializes in seafood dishes like lobster soup and baked oysters. The hotel also hosts a nightly cheese and wine reception.

Infinity pool, room service, customized private tours

With only 96 rooms, the adults-only Condado Ocean Club is located in the Condado district, only 15 minutes from the Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport. The contemporary hotel feels like a swanky beach house with lots of white furniture and teal accents throughout the property. The cheeky neon signs and hanging patio lights in the common areas add a playful vibe. 

The star of the show is THE DECK, the hotel’s poolside entertainment zone. There’s an infinity pool that overlooks the beach, and private cabanas that come with bottle service. The hotel also hosts guest DJs that turn the pool deck into a day party. The hotel’s main restaurant, Social, has sit-down service with an eclectic menu that includes dishes like vegetarian g][nocchi, chistorra empanadas, and Maryland crab cakes. For a happy hour drink, guests can head to Jade, the hotel’s lobby bar that serves tapas along with wines and cocktails. 

The guestrooms have impressive floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the Atlantic Ocean or the Laguna del Condado, and the beds have headboards that extend into a comfortable seating area with plenty of pillows. The upgraded Atlantic Terrace Ocean and Condado Ocean Balcony rooms both have a large furnished terraces for sipping your morning coffee.

Access to co-working space, rooftop bar, fully equipped kitchen

For those looking for budget accommodations in a centrally located neighborhood, Santurcia Hostel is a great option. The highly-rated hostel is located in Santurce, a free-spirited neighborhood just 10 minutes outside of Old San Juan, and the property is within walking distance to lots of bars and restaurants. 

The hostel is clean and modern with gold and emerald painted walls, and there are potted plants and artwork thoughtfully scattered throughout the property. The accommodations include three private rooms and two dorm-style rooms with bunk beds. The private rooms come with a queen bed and twin bunk beds ideal for a group of friends, but keep in mind that the two private rooms share a bathroom. The hostel also has a communal dining room and kitchen for making meals and a rooftop bar for hanging out. 

The hostel could also be a good option for remote workers. Hostel guests who need a quiet place to work can purchase a pass to co.co.haus, a bright and airy coworking space only a block away. For beach access, the hostel is also about a 10-minute walk to Ocean Park Beach, and guests can rent beach chairs and coolers for the day.